Stepping down
by GossipChii
Summary: [Compilation of Kizuna lost scenes. Mostly about Sora.] III. They used the swings to fly, like she had so many times before.
1. Stepping Down

**Disclaimer**: Nor Digimon nor its characters are mine.

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**I **

**Stepping down**

"I didn't think you would come," she had seen him enter the exhibition a few minutes back, but she had been so busy presenting her flower arrangement that she hadn't been able to say hi.

"I know how much this means to you… and to your mom." He was wearing his leather jacket casually on one shoulder, it was almost annoying how casually good-looking Yamato was. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

"But you guys have been fighting-"

"Again, I wouldn't have missed it for the world." he smiled, one of those Ishida smiles Sora liked to think were exclusive for her. "You haven't been replying to the group chat."

Sora broke the eye contact, pretending to clean a spot on the table that was perfectly fine.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she lied, and Sora was the worst liar. Everyone else could give a white lie here or there, but to Sora it was physically impossible to lie. It gave her stomachaches, and they were just starting.

"You know you can talk to me, right?" and she knew he was right, but it still felt like a thousand cuts in her heart. Sure, she had talked to Mimi about her intentions on not wanting to fight anymore, but it had been through the phone, it wasn't the same.

And she didn't want to take credit out of Piyomon, her partner had been her biggest support for years, and knowing that she was okay with her decision about not joining the fights anymore made her feel in peace.

But she hadn't faced any of her friends, and that included Yamato right there. She was being gullible to believe they wouldn't notice her sudden disappearance from the group chat, she wasn't the biggest chatter, but she placed a thumbs up here and there. They would notice she was ignoring them sooner or later.

And here was the sooner, with beautiful blue eyes, wondering what was occupying her mind. She hadn't even replied when her eyes started filling up with tears and Yamato could only take her backstage from the exhibition, he knew Sora well enough to know how much she hated attention. They would be better talking somewhere they could be alone.

He held her, letting her cry as much as she needed. If Yamato knew something about Sora was how much she liked being in silence, in a safe space where she didn't feel like she was being judged. Yamato could sometimes be distracted, but he had noticed Sora had been distant- not only from the group chat, but ever since the problems with the Digital World had begun… again.

When the tears had finally het her talk, she looked up at him. There was something about Yamato's eyes that on first sight could seem intimidating, but when you got to know them, they were the warmest thing she could think of. They made her feel safe, they made her feel _understood_.

"I don't think I want to fight anymore…" it was a mere whisper, but clear enough so she didn't have to repeat it. Sora was surprised with herself; she didn't expect to cut the drama and go straight to how she felt. "After everything that happened with Meicoomon I don't think I'm able to keep fighting I'm just…"

She held Yamato's wrists tightly, her legs felt weaker than moments before. She remembered being hit against the hard and cold ice by Machinedramon, she remembered thinking she was about to _die_. She had been in many fights before, but never had she felt that helpless. Five years had passed, and even if she had gone with a therapist, rekindled with tennis and done everything she was supposed to do to get over a trauma, it hadn't felt real until the Digimon attacks restarted.

"I'm so tired." Yamato could see the pain in Sora's eyes. They (the rest of the Chosen Children) didn't really talk about the traumas from the battles, it was the elephant in the room, and it hurt to see her suffering like that. He held her again, and even if Sora wasn't crying anymore —tears may have left her body—, it was nice to feel her breathing against his chest, her heart beating alongside his.

"You don't have to fight if you don't want to." He stated after a few more minutes in silence, he felt her nodding. "We understand… I understand," Sora lifted her gaze to meet his again, and with his thumb, Yamato cleaned up the last tears running through her cheek.

"Do you want to see my flower arrangement?" She said with innocence, after she had calmed down. Yamato couldn't hide his sudden blush. He nodded.

Six flowers in the colors of everyone's crests. Yamato smiled, widely, the kind of smiles he only had once in a full moon. He understood Sora had stepped down from fighting, but she hadn't stepped down from being a Chosen Children. That would always be in her heart.

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**Notes**

I wasn't going to upload this here because it's so short but SkuAg asked me to do it so I did. I might add more "lost scenes" if I get inspired once Kizuna comes out.

Thanks so much for reading! Leave a review :)

Xoxo, GossipChii.


	2. Treacherous

**Disclaimer: **Digimon is still not mine.

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**II**

**Treacherous**

"It should be the first room on the right," Sora smiled at the thought of Piyomon paying extreme attention when they asked for Mimi's room. The moment she found out her friend was amongst the fainted Chosen Children she knew she had to pay her a visit. Just to make sure she was still there, physically, at least.

But Sora still didn't want to face the rest, she had decided she didn't want to fight, and she didn't feel like being pressured into changing her mind. All she wanted was to spend as much time with Piyomon as she could. It had been long overdue for her to follow her own heart.

"I think I can hear them; can you hear them?" Piyomon nodded. Their friends were still in Mimi's room, as she had expected. Koushiro, Jou, Taichi… Yamato. They were all still there. Her heart shrunk, but she was no stranger to hiding herself. She had done so for weeks when she was 11, she could do it again at 22.

They both pressed their bodies against the wall, until they heard silence. The redhead took a deep breath as she said hi to a couple of nurses and doctors. She had to appear normal, not as a treacherous friend.

Both her and Piyomon stepped into Mimi's room. Sora's eyes took approximately five seconds to be filled with tears. Piyomon noticed right away but decided to stay quiet. Sure, Sora was her best friend in the entire world, but she understood Mimi had a special place in her heart as well.

"Who could be doing this to you… who could be so mean…" Sora held Mimi's pale hand, as her voice trembled. Piyomon was just as scared, at least they could still _see_ Mimi, but Palmon was nowhere to be found. What if she disappeared as well…?

"Sora?" Jou was surprised to see her, but his eyes appeared kind, even happy to be surprised by his friend. "I didn't know you were coming!"

"Is she Ok?" Sora tried to hide the fact that her eyes could not stop watering. She wasn't the kind to cry in front of anyone, really. So, she felt wrong, naked.

"All her vital signs are Okay, it's just a matter of time until we find out who is behind this. Hopefully Koushiro will be able to do it soon…" Jou looked so grown up. Sora ran to him and hugged him without putting much thought onto it. He had always wanted to be a doctor, perhaps even before he was born. And seeing him, right in that moment, fulfilling his dream. She could not be happier for him.

"Mimi could not be in better hands," she smiled, weakly but sincerely. "I'm so sorry I have been ignoring you all… I just…"

"But you haven't been ignoring us, you're here, aren't you?" He hugged her back, petting her head carefully. He could understand Sora's feeling of not wanting to fight, he had been in that same situation before.

"Promise me you will take care of yourself," Sora held Piyomon's wing as soon as they broke their hug. It felt so strange to be so grown up, after having been to so many adventures together before. And now, they were adults.

"Thanks, Sora," she tilted her head, confused. "For always being there for us, even if you don't even try it." She smiled, as her and Piyomon left Mimi's room.

She could have said it but decided not to. And as she took a glance to her phone, she confirmed it. There were only two petals left in her circle.

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**Notes**

Heyo, another lost scene! Sora and Jou have one of the best friendhsips on the Adventureverse and that's on periodt.

Thanks for reading!


	3. Right hands

**Dislcaimer: **You know the drill, Digimon isn't mine, etc.

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**Right hands**

"How did you know I would be here?"

"Are you seriously asking me that?"

Taichi was sitting at the swings in the park he used to go to when he was younger, the exact same swings where him and Sora met.

"I guess I'm an open book," Taichi's gaze staring deep at the floor, Sora understood it was still to painful to look anywhere else, to face reality. A reality without… them. "And Yamato?"

"I came here after seeing him," Sora took a sit in the second swing. It was almost funny how they fit at the swings, which used to fit perfectly and now they were even uncomfortable. "He's with Takeru now, I made sure he wasn't left alone."

"Yet you came here to see me, too." Taichi's gaze met Sora's, his eyes were still swollen from the obvious crying that had been going on.

It had been a week since it happened to her, since Piyomon had… left. Since then, she had only seen Yamato, and Takeru for the few minutes when he got to Yamato's apartment to replace Sora so she could go check on Taichi. It was the first time the childhood friends saw each other since it all started, the beginning of the end. Sora was afraid Taichi wouldn't have understood how she didn't want to fight, not the same way Mimi, Jou and, of course, Yamato had understood her.

How could anyone blame her? She and Taichi used to be each other's right hands, especially when it came to fighting. She used to be the first one to back him up when they were eleven, back in the Digital World. Things seemed to be way easier back then, even when their lives were endangered, and they had no surviving skills, just a brave soul to rely on.

Yet, as soon as she found out Gabumon and Agumon had met the same destiny as Piyomon previously had, Sora knew it was the moment to face him. She hadn't healed, either, even had refused to see him when they had saved the world once again, because she wasn't ready. Taichi, on the other hand, had come to understanding he had to give Sora her space when she needed it. So, he respected her, but God, had he missed her.

"I'm sorry," she said wholeheartedly, placing her hand on top of his.

"I know, and I'm sorry too." He swiped the last tears his body probably had out of his eyes. "I don't think I've cried this much since I thought I had lost you."

He didn't have to explain what he was referring to; Sora perfectly knew he was referring at the time Datamon had kidnapped her. Perhaps she had been wrong, being eleven hadn't been easy, at all.

"So you made sure I thought I had lost you few minutes after, huh? To get back at me?" Taichi chuckled, surprised to see that he was still able to feel anything other than sadness.

"I've missed you," Sora felt a pinch of guilt at Taichi's words, but she had missed him too, with every inch of her heart.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to help…"

"You don't have to explain anything, I respect every decision you make." He interrupted; Sora bit her lower lip. The swings weren't the only thing that displayed they were adults, their actions and words did too.

Sora was the first one to start swinging, slowly at first, yet quickly accelerating the pace until she felt she was flying, like she had done on uncountable occasions on the back of Birdramon. Taichi joined her right after, both completely struck on a comfortable silence, one they didn't need to explain.

"As crazy as it sounds, I don't think they're gone forever," Sora could tell this had been on Taichi's mind for as while as it was possible, but it was the first time he had said it out loud.

"What do you mean?"

"I know they're not here, physically, or digitally," Taichi looked up at the sky, completely darkened out. "But I just know we will meet again. Am I being a wishful thinker?"

"No." Sora's chest felt warm, joining Taichi at staring at the sky. She pretended the brightest star was Piyomon, looking after her. "I think you're right. We'll meet them again."

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**Notes**

You would have to be silly if you didn't believe some Taiora would be on its way.

Thanks for reading!


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